Two Sides of the Same Coin
by Pixieblade
Summary: Pairing: 58; Rating: M; AN: I’m screwing with canon because it makes me feel better and because I was asked to. Written directly following the Jack of All Trades and Master to None story Banri’s story .--UPDATED


Title: **Two Sides of the Same Coin**

Series: Saiyuki

Pairing: 58; Rating: M

AN: I'm screwing with cannon because it makes me feel better and because I was asked to. Written directly following the _Jack of All Trades and Master to None_ story (Banri's story).

Hakkai stayed with Gojyo until he fell asleep and even after, watching the gentle rise and fall of his chest under their single sheet and blanket on the small bed. Sitting on its edge, he leaned back slightly and looked up at the ceiling, trying to organize his thoughts and emotions, finding that he could do neither and resigned himself to the task at hand. He glanced down at Gojyo's sleeping visage. Gently brushing the stray crimson locks from his eyes and lightly fingering the bruises and small cuts that littered the still pale face.

He hadn't planned on this. It wasn't in the cards or written in some ancient text and it sure as hell wasn't inscribed in his mind. It was, however, carved into his heart. He didn't know when it started. Maybe it was left over gratitude for Gojyo saving him, maybe it was guilt for not getting to him sooner, or maybe it was just the absolute frustration and red-hot fury at Gojyo for letting that punk Banri into _their_ home and worse, going with him when he knew it was a trap.

"_He'd be screwed if he really did come back."_

Hakkai smiled, and in the moonlight that smile held more teeth and danger than normal. Rising fluidly he leaned in and pressed a faint kiss to the sleeping hanyou's forehead, long clawed fingers gently tracing the contours of his eyes and cheeks before turning and closing the bedroom door softly; three silver cuffs glittering in the moonlight on the bedside table. He wasn't sure where he was going or when he'd be back, if he ever was, and it made his stomach drop sickeningly.

As he closed the front door, fumbling with the small key to the new reinforced door and lock, his faint, pain filled voice was carried away on the breeze, "Please forgive me, but I'll always look out for you."

And then he was gone; just another shadow slipping through the forest.

***

Gojyo awoke in the early afternoon. Sitting up sharply he grabbed his head and groaned. He felt liked he'd been kicked by a horse. There was a queasy uneasiness rumbling around in his empty stomach that left him feeling weak and nauseas. Groaning again he pulled his feet out from under the blankets and stopped hard. Reaching out he lightly fingered the three small dull gray cuffs on the table and cursed under his breath. Stuffing them into his pocket he stumbled through the small house.

"Ha..kkai? Man, don't fuck with me, where the hell are you?"

As he wandered through the kitchen he stared dumbfounded at the counter. Lined up in neat little bowls was enough food laid out for a week, maybe longer. He cursed again and stuffed his feet into his boots before roughly pulling open the door and staggering out into the glaring daylight.

"Where the _fuck_ are you, Hakkai?!"

***

Hakkai had been walking for most of the night. He was slightly surprised that he wasn't tired or hungry. In fact, every time the wind carried a certain scent he felt more rejuvenated, more alive in a creepy sadistic way that left the edges of his brain fuzzed and muggy, as though he were trying vainly to wade through quicksand, all he could do was push forward. His prey was waiting.

The sun had risen and set and was close to rising again when he finally stopped. He smelled blood and tears on the ragged gusts of wind creeping through the trees. Turning he moved off in a new direction, letting his sense of smell lead him forward. What he found both sickened and excited him.

It had been a family once, a mother, father, and two small children; even the family's dog had been savaged. He bent down and examined the shreds of remains, hissing sharply as he confirmed the damage was done by demonic hands. He didn't think the one he was stalking was capable of this level of brutality, but he also didn't question he was more than capable of bringing such monsters in his wake. He took the time to set the house and corpses on fire, but he knew he couldn't wait any longer. Stretching he turned in a circle, stopping only when he caught the scent again, stronger than before. He smiled, the first rays of the sun glinting sharply off of pointed teeth. _Soon_. It would be soon now.

***

Banri slammed the door shut behind him and lay panting against its surface.

"Fucking hell!" There was a pounding on the door, an earsplitting shattering sound as splinters of wood shattered underneath the assault.

"I gave you the fucking money! Get bent!" he shouted through the wood and pushed off the cracking surface, backing up into the room and scrambling to find something he could defend himself with.

He turned sharply as a long, terrified scream ripped through the air. Clutching desperately at the charred remains of a broken chair he crouched down and crab walked to the nearest window, cursing softly as he attempted to peer through its fogged and cracked surface.

Several long minutes passed without another sound. Banri sighed and got to his feet, brushing off the dust from his black leather pants and flipping his coat out as he sauntered back to the door. Hand on the knob, he fell back in surprise when the heavy oaken door was ruthlessly kicked open, hinges groaning in protest.

"Shit! Who? Who the fuck are you?!"

"Mr. Banri. You really should work on your manners, you know? I told you, I'm not capable of holding back my emotions."

"Who the hell are you? I don't remember ever meeting with you before!"

"Ah. Please excuse my lack of manners; I should have realized you were too stupid to recognize me."

Banri squinted up into the light at the towering shadow, eyes going wide when recognition finally set in. It wasn't the look or even the smell of the man that made things click into place, but the way he spoke.

"Gojyo's bitch, eh? Mr. Proper himself. Well, I must say the vines are a nice touch; hell, you're even still pretty in this form. No wonder Gojyo let you stay; he always was a sucker for a pretty fa…gah!!" Banri kicked vainly into the air, grasping at the death grip Hakkai had wrapped around his throat, claws digging into his tanned skin, Hakkai's good eye wasalmost black in his mounting fury.

"You left him to die." he ground out, "Did you even think of him when you skipped out on those men? It was your problem and you dragged him in like a cat toying with a mouse! They almost killed him!!"

"Ah! But…you saved him, yeah? Gah! I mean, I knew you'd go to him.*cak! ack!* That's the type of person you are, punctual and shit! Ahhh!"

"You are filth, worse than anything either of us have done, and that's saying quite a bit."

"Man…*cak!* really, he'd be fine, always *ahk* land on his feet, that one!"

Hakkai pushed him farther off the ground, lips curling in an unspoken growl, fingers twitching with the small shreds of self-control he had left. A low rumbling rolled over his tongue as claws dug in deeper, drawing little rivulets of deep red blood. He licked his lips in anticipation and leaned in closer, sniffing at the new fragrance that flowed around them before catching himself. Growling outright he flung the offending demon from him. The smashing of bones against the concrete walls of the building left a delighted smile creeping across his face.

Banri coughed painfully, blood splattering in a messy heap across the dirty floor, soaking in and staining the earth. Glancing up at the pale youkai his eyes went wide. Hakkai had an arm outstretched and Banri could see the slithering of those vines as they wound out from the stony form. He watched in abject horror as they spiraled closer and closer, snaking around his throat and chest, constricting as they slithered lower, tangling around his wrists and legs, drawing him up flush against the blood smeared wall.

"Do you know what your sin is, Mr. Banri?"

The tight edge of politeness terrified Banri, he knew crazy when he saw it and nothing was more dangerous than a youkai about ready to flip the switch and go all nuts-o on him.

"I should have come back?" he offered.

"No. You should have stayed away, far, far away from us. There's nothing I hate more than demons."

Banri choked out an ironic laugh, "You seen yourself man? You're one of those 'filthy demons' you hate so much."

Hakkai smiled faintly and ran a pale pink tongue over ivory fangs, "Yes, that is my punishment for a different sin, but yours almost got him killed. I will never forgive you for that." Hakkai cocked his head to the side and cupped his chin with long pale fingers, claws lightly tapping against hi cheek, "Have you…said confession lately, Mr. Banri?"

"What the? Why the hell would I do something like that?"

"Struggling will not help your soul. Confession might not either, but it would be rude of me not to offer. As you said, I am very 'proper'. Now, would you like me to listen to your confession?"

"Bite me, ass-hole! No way in fucking hell am I saying shit to you!!"

Hakkai sighed wearily, "Very well, then how about last rites?" that same glint to his eyes, the hard fire that burned emerald green and purple-black slipped over his face like the semi-opened mouth full of fangs and then all Banri knew was mind searing pain.

Hakkai could only laugh as his claws slid through flesh and leather like butter, bones pulverized, floating like sticky granules of wet sugar through his fingers and he once again touched the dark part of his mind. Once more loosing himself to the murderous rage he felt all those months ago. Gojyo was not Kanan, he knew that, but he'd be damned if anyone took someone he cared about again.

Never again.

***

Gojyo hadn't slept, he hadn't eaten, he had no idea where or when or what was happening anymore. Walking into the bathroom he ran a shaky hand through tussled locks, grimacing at the red lengths. Splashing water on his face he pulled the annoying hair roughly into a messy ponytail and slapped at the water sitting in the bowl, sending thick droplets shooting up to strike his reflection and run down noiselessly.

There was a click in the sudden quiet. Gojyo's head spun around so fast his vision swam. Pressing a hand against his forehead he walked back out into the living room.

"Ha…kkai?"

"Ah, Gojyo. How are you feeling? Did you eat the dinner I prepared?"

Gojyo just stared at the man in front of him. Hakkai was splattered in blood, his hair and clothes matted in the drying mess, his claws in his hair with a disgusted look on his face as he picked at the drying blood.

"Hakkai? You, what the hell happened?"

"Ah, nothing much, I took care of some personal business."

"You, you know you left these behind when you left?"

Tossing the ear cuffs across the room Hakkai grabbed them deftly out of the air.

"Ah. Yes, I guess I did."

Gojyo crossed the room in a heartbeat, hands clenching Hakkai's collar and glaring at the youkai.

"You….do you have any idea how fucking worried I was?!"

"Worried?" Hakkai blinked dual colored eyes at the hanyou perplexed.

"What the hell was I supposed to think? You're with me when I go to sleep but gone without a word in the morn…_Shit_." Gojyo cursed under his breath, he sounded just like those women he used to go with.

Hakkai reached out a long fingered hand and ran it through red bangs. "Go..jyo…"

Stepping in he reached out and closed the distance between them. "Gojyo. I'm sorry. I had to take care of something. I..I…"

"Idiot."

"Eh?"

"Idiot. Next time you feel the need to go beat the shit out of my old running mates, wake me up first."

"Eh? How?"

"Idiot. I can smell it."

"The...blood?"

"No, Banri's cheap-assed cologne. He always did have shitty taste. Is he...?"

"No. I made a promise to not kill out of anger again and I will do everything in my power to keep that promise."

Hakkai stepped back and moved past Gojyo towards the bathroom. Gojyo followed him, watching as he fumbled with the buttons on the bloody shirt.

"'Kai..." Hakkai glanced up at Gojyo, pushing himself off of the bathroom door frame Gojyo smiled. "Let me."

Hakkai turned towards Gojyo and dropped his arms to his side, dropping his head onto Gojyo's shoulder as the other stepped in and started undoing the buttons on his bloody shirt, shivering as he felt the warm fingertips glide over his skin.

"Gojyo. The limiters…"

"Leave them off for now."

"Eh?"

"You once told me that you never wanted to see blood on your hands again. So leave them off until we've gotten you clean."

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I was afraid you would be mad at me; about my interfering with Mr. Banri and the warehouse."

"You were just looking out for me. No one's done that before. I didn't know how to deal with it that's all. It's hard letting someone in after so long, you know? Hard to figure out how to act when you give a damn about what someone else feels and thinks."

"You care about what I think of you?"

"You really are a pain, you know that? Here, step out of those, they're covered in blood too, but yeah, I care."

"Gojyo…thank you."

"Eh? For what?"

Hakkai slid a hand down Gojyo's cheek, cupping his chin lightly he raised the other's head and smiled gently.

"Thank you for always taking care of me."

"And here I thought you had been taking care of me." Gojyo cocked his head and grinned sheepishly.

"Ah, maybe just a bit."

"Smart-ass."

Hakkai smiled again, a little brighter this time and Gojyo shook his head in amusement, turning away from the vine covered demon, he reached over and started the shower running, checking the temperature as the water sputtered into life.

"I got blood on you." Hakkai's soft voice murmured behind him.

Glancing over his shoulder he shuddered lightly as Hakkai ran one clawed finger over the soft curve of his neck and down his back. Hakkai moved in closer until he was pressed-up against the red-head's back. Slipping his hands over the strong back he clung to Gojyo desperately, suddenly needing the comfort of another body against his.

"Hey, 'Kai?" Gojyo softly grasped the vine covered arms, gently rubbing the pads of his thumbs back and forth across their surface.

"Sorry. Can we just…"

"No. Hakkai, please, just get in the shower for right now."

Pulling back sharply Hakkai's face blanched and then burned a bright crimson.

"Ah...of course, I'm sorry. It won't happen again." Hakkai moved away quickly, stepping into the shower and pulled the curtain closed, wrapping his arms around his thin chest and clutching his shoulders painfully as he struggled to tramp down the raising emotions threatening to overwhelm him.

"Idiot. I didn't mean that." Hakkai glanced up at the red-head's shadow as it moved closer to the curtain.

Gojyo stripped out of the last bits of his clothes and stepped into the shower behind him. Cocky smile plastered across his face.

"Gojyo?" Hakkai's voice was shaky as he stepped in closer, wrapping his arms around Hakkai and pulling him in close against his chest. Hakkai sputtered as he pushed them both under the cascade of water, the red liquid rolling off of his skin, small vines fluttering across his skin, water speckled from the perpetual rainfall above them.

"You were dripping blood on the floor."

"I'm sorry?"

"You yell at me for bringing my shoes into the house but you would have been fine with blood stains on your sparkling clean floor, yeah right. This way no matter how dirty we get you'll still be clean." Gojyo smiled down at him, a devilish glint in his eyes as water slipped through his hair and over his eyelashes, the jewel like drops catching the light and shimmering as they dripped off.

"'Kai, why did you go after Banri?"

"He...I was angry. So very angry that he left you like that."

"_Me_, not Kanan, right?"

Hakkai sucked in a soft breath and closed his eyes briefly, opening them he looked Gojyo square in those ruby depths, "No, not her. I only thought of you. Watching you bleed for him, protect him, it made me jealous. If he had come back, maybe I wouldn't have felt that way, but he didn't and that was inexcusable to me."

"Why?"

"Why?"

"Yeah, why? Why did you get mad."

"...."

"'Kai, look at me. Tell me why you got mad for me."

"When we're together, it feels right. Comfortable. Like we've been together forever. It frustrated me when you walked out on that, more so because it was for that..._man_."

"That's why you were mad at _me_. Why were you mad at him?"

"Because he left you."

"That's all?"

"It's enough! You should never have someone leave you, there's no reason! Sure you can be a complete womanizing, chain smoking, idiot sometimes, but you're also very loving. No one that loves so much should have to put up with people like that!"

Hakkai turned his back on the other and stood staring up into the spray of hot water, claws digging in to his palms as he clenched his fists in frustration.

"'Kai." Gojyo pressed in against the youkai's back, wrapping his arms around his pale chest and pressed his cheek against the small spot between Hakkai's neck and shoulder. Breathing out he blew lightly over the wet skin, smiling as he felt the other man shiver and push back against him.

"Thank you." Gojyo whispered against his neck as he pressed his lips against the ivory skin. He slid his hands up Hakkai's chest, lightly drawing his blunt nails across the slippery surface and continued to trail his lips down his neck and over the hard line of his collar bone. Smiling as Hakkai sighed contentedly and leaned back against him.

"You scared the shit out of me leaving like that, you know? I didn't think it would. In the beginning, you were always so formal when we were together, but when that prick came back I remembered what it was like before you were here and I hated it. The constant reek of booze and cigarettes, passing out more than sleeping, not knowing what was gonna happen or if I'd eaten in a week. It's not that I missed your cooking or having a clean place or anything stupid like that (which I did, but...), it was more that I missed walking around and having you here. Sitting on the couch reading or messing around in the kitchen or just being here when I got home. It's stupid sounding, but I missed you."

Gojyo slid a hand up to Hakkai's chin, turning it until they were gazing at each other, red meeting green, leaning down he pulled Hakkai's lips to his own, sucking lightly on his bottom lip, smiling as Hakkai groaned and turned completely in his hold. Standing pressed against each other Hakkai felt the flood gates opening. If Gojyo kept this up he wasn't sure he'd be able to stop himself from moving forward.

Pulling back slightly Hakkai struggled to calm his rapidly beating heart, "Go..jyo…"

"'Kai, just shut up and kiss me, would you?"

Hakkai blinked rapidly for a moment and then smiled before reaching up and dragging Gojyo's mouth to his own, all self-restrain forgotten. He moaned into the warm honeyed cavern as he felt Gojyo open to his advances. Pushing his tongue past willing lips he ran it over teeth and tongue, savoring the taste as he pushed in harder, his hands sliding down the wet length of Gojyo's back until he was pressed up against the smooth tile wall.

Hakkai slipped his hands back to Gojyo's chest. As he slowly ran them down the well-defined muscles Hakkai followed each finger with his tongue, smiling as Gojyo gasped and arched slightly into every teasing nibble. Hakkai ran his tongue across each dark nipple, lightly sucking one of the hardening nubs into his mouth, lightly flicking it with the wet tip of his tongue while his strong fingers pinched the other between them.

"'Kai...don't stop, please..." Hakkai smiled softly, leaning in to bite down tenderly on the space under his Adam's apple as he stepped in and ground their hips together. Relishing the choked off cry that spilled out of his lips.

Hakkai slipped his hands around Gojyo's hips, looping an arm under his legs, he pushed the hanyou up against the side of the shower and stepped in even closer, hissing slightly as Gojyo wrapped his legs around Hakkai's back and their hardened members rubbed against each other.

"Gojyo, do you have any idea what you do to me?" Hakkai slipped a hand around the soft contours of Gojyo's ass, being extra careful not to cut the man with his claws.

"Probably the same thing you do to me. _Fuck_, 'Kai, I missed having you this close."

"We've never been this close before though, have we?" Hakkai's amused voice floated over the soft shell of his ear as the youkai ran a hot tongue down the side of his neck.

"Yeah, well, I'd like us to be even closer."

"Really? How close, Gojyo? Tell me."

Gojyo leaned down and captured Hakkai's mouth with his own before shifting his weight slightly causing Hakkai to gasp into his mouth, eyes going wide as Gojyo pushed down onto him. Gojyo screwed his eyes shut and breathed slowly through the initial discomfort, only opening them when he'd accustomed himself to the feeling of having Hakkai within him.

Hakkai searched the red-head's face for signs of discomfort, leaning in and kissing away the small droplets that were squeezed from between tight eyelids.

"Gojyo?" he whispered.

"I'm okay. I want this 'Kai. I wouldn't have followed you in here if I didn't."

"Tell me, please."

"I love you. I want you to fuck me. Please."

"No. I won't just use you, Gojyo." Hakkai smiled up at the confused man in his arms before rolling his hips and eliciting a stifled gasp and slight rolling of eyes.

"I won't fuck you, but I _will_ make love to you Gojyo." Gojyo's eyes lowered partially as he tightened his grip on Hakkai's hair. He didn't think he could get any closer to the edge just by words alone, but hearing the profanity slip from those sweet lips pushed him almost to the breaking point.

Hakkai kissed him again, murmuring into his mouth a quiet confession. Slowly Hakkai pulled Gojyo up and gently thrust into him, gasping at the sudden pressure and feel of Gojyo wrapped around him completely. Moaning into his open mouth as he thrust into the tight warmth again, his breath coming out in ragged puffs against Gojyo's neck. Gojyo rolled his head to the side, allowing Hakkai easy access to the sensitive joint between neck and shoulder, shuddering as Hakkai bit down, fangs sinking into the salty flesh. Gojyo gasped and rocked his hips forward, impaling himself farther on to Hakkai's throbbing cock.

Hakkai gripped Gojyo's hip with one hand while the other reached between them and gripped the weeping member, running a claw lightly over the slit, he drew sticky swirls across the soft skin and over the tightening sack. Breathing hard he pulled out and thrust in again and again, their salty sweat mingling with the hot water running over them.

Gojyo could feel himself starting to shake, the coil in his stomach was wound so tight he was afraid he wouldn't make it. The blood was pounding in his ears, only overshadowed by the harsh sounds of Hakkai's heavy breathing. He flinched as Hakkai gripped him painfully, arching in to the warmth of his hand, pulling himself across the heated flesh as Hakkai leaned in and whispered in his ear, "Gojyo, God you're so tight, I want to feel you come for me. Come for me love."

"Ha...kkai!"

Hakkai clamped down on his shoulder painfully, blood dripping down between his fangs as he followed Gojyo into the hot whiteness of oblivion for a moment out of time. The water still sluiced over them as they shook in each other's arms. Even Hakkai's vines felt like they were shaking in the afterglow.

"Fuck!"

"Gojyo?" Hakkai glanced up worriedly.

"Fucking hell, I closed my eyes. I really wanted to see your face when you came." he leaned in and licked the tip of Hakkai's nose, laughing as he tried to follow the movement and crossing his eyes instead. Shaking his head he carefully lowered Gojyo until he was standing in front of him, catching him against his chest as the other found his legs still too wobbly to work properly.

"Hey 'Kai?"

"Hmm...Welcome home."

Hakkai smiled that dazzling real smile of his and claimed Gojyo's mouth once more, "I'm home."

***

They stayed that way for a long while until the water turned icy and they fled to the warm confines of their bed. As they curled around each other Hakkai sighed and leaned into Gojyo's welcomed warmth, shivering as the small cuffs were reapplied to his ear, knowing that the one binding him was doing it out of love. Hakkai reached down and bit sharply on the outer edge of Gojyo's ear, smiling into warm burgundy eyes as the man reached up and lightly fingered the sore flesh.

"Guess we're both marked now, huh?"

"Do you mind?"

"Only for you, 'Kai. Only for you."

Fin.


End file.
